Still Life NYC leather fedora

Still Life New York City are the purveyors of the finest head wear on their side of the Atlantic, creating hats in the styles that were popular in by gone eras. Each of their many styles is associated with a quote from a celebrity, playwright or author, which immediately makes the hats ten times cooler. I’m particularly fond of the Hunter S Thompson fedora, despite its slightly pimpish qualities.

The big draw for me though is the above leather fedora ($200) which although it looks like it would be worn by Justin Timberlake, isn’t endorsed by the star. This would look great twinned up with a half-length black leather jacket and a smart tee underneath.

Get high with All The Kings Men Midi laptop bag

I love the understatement of style and colour on the All The Kings Men Midi laptop bag, but what makes it super special is the fact that the straps are made from 100% genuine airliner seat belts. So that fact isn’t amazing in itself, but I think adds a touch of class and sets the bag apart from all the others.

The main body of the bag canvas, and is large enough to hold a 15" Macbook, plus a little extra room for your sarnies and a jazz mag. Prices are from about £90, and the bag goes on sale on the 5th of September.

Roman invasion: The Invicta Mini Sac returns

Back in early 1980s Rome, a new fashion trend exploded that saw the citizens of the ancient city all take to wearing brightly coloured, stripy day-packs, with young and old sporting the Invicta Mini Sac as both a fashion accessory and practical carry all.

And now it’s back, crossing both the continent and the Atlantic, and set to become the latest primary-coloured-craze since Crocs to sweep the globe. Fashionable or not, I love the simple, truly continental style of the Invicta Mini Sac, and it looks like the perfect sort of bag that you could take to the beach. And even if every Tom, Dick and Harry starts posturing about in one, remember what they say about being in Rome…

Incase Sling Pack bag

Incase, the same fellas who make some of the niftiest iPhone covers going, have created this neat little back pack that’s designed for your laptop (Macs specifically) but also everything else. Pared down to one strap, the Sling Pack’s (£45) draw is in its simple, economic styling and practicality, with room for all your accessories, plus a "fur" lined compartment specifically made for your beloved iPod to sit in.

[Via Uncrate]

Roll-Top Chrome backpacks

Looking like something you’d get in an army surplus shop but infinitely more chic, the roll-top Chrome backpack (£75) isn’t just a pretty accessory. While the bag itself will keep your goodies safe from harm and dry as a bone, it also goes that extra mile by featuring a roll-top cover that envelopes the pack to ensure that not even the most torrential of downpours can penetrate through.

Designed for couriers and serious day walkers, the Chrome "Pawn" pack is also ideally suited to the urban warrior who needs to keep their Mac and latest edition Harry Potter safe from the elements.

French Connection stripe belt

French Connection’s stripe belt is a nice way to add some interest to a plain outfit. The silk tie fabric is reminiscent of Paul Smith and lends some schoolboy style and an air of insouciance. For only 22 quid use it to brighten up plain grey trousers or go the whole hog and belt up some knee length shorts. Just don’t use it banker style in a bar on a Friday night tied round your head.

Theo Gato

I love this uncomplicated collection of bags and wallets from Theo Gato, which are absolutely striking in their simplicity. Devoid of often unnecessary zips and buckles or superfluous compartments, each accessory is functional, yet beautifully designed.

I’d be glad to use each item for it’s intended use (I’d be particularly keen to swan into the gym with that mean looking duffel bag), but the one that I’d have no qualms trading for my dear grandmother is the laptop bag shown above. Suitable for a 17" laptop, the textured leather gives it a sophistication that sets it apart from all the vinyl and acrylic, city-boy computer bags.

[Via NotCot]

Dosh Wallet

Made from flexible and semi-flexible polymers the Dosh Wallet (AUD$49.95) is packed with clever features for modern lifestyles. Apparently. Not that I care, I just want my wallet to look good when I flash the cash. So it’s fortunate that this money holder is one of the best looking wallets I’ve ever seen.

And to be fair, the "clever features" are rather handy. As well as the standard credit card and note sections, there’s also a compartments specifically designed for sim cards, keys, business cards and, er, condoms. Presumably those polymers prevent unsightly markings caused by "unused" protection.

Monsoon Teacher’s Satchel

Satchels and other "men’s bags" (I find the term "man bag" slightly unsavoury) can be awfully expensive – take the Fossil Perry Messenger Bag for instance. It’s an absolutely gorgeous accessory to have slung over your shoulder, that we can see. But, at £160 – £80 Stateside – a lot of men will have a problem justifying spending that much money on something they’ll probably just use for a few books and a carton of Ribena.

So I was more than pleased to see this great looking teacher’s satchel making up part of the Monsoon autumn/winter menswear range. I love the subtle colour scheme which is perfect for dark winter jackets, but I also love the price – £25. The satchel is big enough for a 15" laptop or a change of clothes, so it is practical for the price and it means I can finally shed my ungainly (and slightly smelly) rucksack.

This Old Thing tiered ties at Hintmag

This Old Thing, Brooklyn’s menswear label have teamed up with Hint Magazine to produce a special run of their popular rickety ties. Designers Tommy Cole and
Roy Caires recently came upon a secret stash of the official, controlled-supply uniforms they use to make the ties and are producing a limited edition range for Hint Shop.

These are the exact opposite of the novelty ties I was spouting on about last week, quirky and different without proclaiming to all "I am a knob!" these are sure to get you sartorial kudos.

Eve Design typewriter letter rings

Call me traditional (or anything else for that matter) but I’m just not a fan of jewellery, mainly because it generally looks stupid on us blokes. Men wearing single studs in their ears should have gone out in the early ’90s, but still there’s fellas young and old sporting cheap bits of metal embedded in their lobes. Then there’s bling… well, the less said about that, the better.

Now I’m not saying that I’d wear these rings that have been fashioned in a typewriter font style, but I still think they’re aesthetically pleasing unlike, say, a diamante-studded dollar sign. And they’re original – I’ve never seen a similar piece of jewelry. The one’s shown come in pairs, one for each partner, but there’s also single rings on the website that don’t have a "message of love". It so nice to be considered as a single person. It almost makes life worth living…

[Via Notcot.org]